Paramount Pictures has acquired its first screenplay for its Paramount Players label to go into production: the 2015 Black List horror script Eli, which will be released on Jan. 4, 2019.
Pic will be directed by Sinister 2 director Ciaran Foy and follows a young boy who undergoes treatment for his rare disease in a secluded clinic, which becomes a haunted prison. Trevor Macy produces via his Intrepid banner.
David Chirchirillo wrote the 2015 Black List script, which Ian Goldberg and Richard Naing revised. John Zaozirny will also produce via Bellevue Productions with David O’Leary co-producing. Matt Alvarez will executive produce, and Melinda Nishioka will also co-produce for Intrepid.
Intrepid is currently in production on The Haunting of Hill House for Paramount TV and Netflix. Recent Intrepid releases include Gerald’s Game, based on Stephen King novel for Netflix, The Bye Bye Man for STX and Ouija: Origin of Evil for Blumhouse/Universal, as well as The Strangers, Oculus and Safe House.
Goldberg and Naing recently wrote The Boy Who Drew Monsters which James Wan is developing for New Line Cinema. The pair also wrote Emile Hirsch’s horror film The Autopsy of Jane Doe and Cropsey for Amblin Partners.
Foy is represented by UTA, Management 360, and Ziffren Brittenham. Goldberg is represented by WME, The Nacelle Company, and Del Shaw Moonves. Naing is represented by APA, Circle of Confusion, and Del Shaw Moonves. Chirchirillo is represented by APA, Bellevue Productions, and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller. Intrepid was represented by Reder & Feig in the deal.
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Currently on the first weekend of that year, the title does not face any fresh wide competition. However, Eli will be released in the wake of a holiday season that includes such titles as Disney’s Mary Poppins Returns, 20th Century Fox’s Bohemian Rhapsody, Warner Bros/DC’s Aquaman and Paramount’s own Transformers spinoff Bumblebee.